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Ladonna Murphy (Murph’s Mother)
Present at all stages of Bartle’s time in Iraq, the lieutenant (or LT) gives the soldiers information about upcoming battles. Although he is probably not much older than Bartle himself, he has an air of maturity and detachment that make him seem reserved. He usually speaks to the soldiers in an honest tone, free of aggression and occasionally punctuated by fear.
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The Lieutenant (LT) Character Timeline in The Yellow Birds
The timeline below shows where the character The Lieutenant (LT) appears in The Yellow Birds. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: September 2004 – Al Tafar, Nineveh Province, Iraq
...and any trace of ordinary civilian life gone. As the sun begins to rise, the lieutenant, a detached, reserved man, explains that the third platoon will try to lead the enemy...
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...In the meantime, Bartle watches the leaves of some trees move in the wind. The lieutenant comes by to congratulate the soldiers on their good work and Bartle wonders if they...
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Chapter 3: March 2005 – Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
...then realizes it is close to dawn, so he returns to the base, where the lieutenant is angry and tells Bartle to clean up. Later, Sterling tells Bartle that he covered...
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Chapter 4: September 2004 – Al Tafar, Nineveh Province, Iraq
The lieutenant then walks up to them and announces that the colonel is coming. The soldiers prepare...
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The lieutenant then explains that they will move into the field before dawn and Bartle feels overwhelmed...
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Chapter 5: March 2005 – Richmond, Virginia
...in the U.S., a sign thanking the soldiers for their service welcomes them and the lieutenant gives them a short speech reminding them not to drink and drive or hit their...
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Chapter 6: September 2004 – Al Tafar, Nineveh Province, Iraq
...wait in a ditch, Bartle feels afraid of dying. In the eerily quiet orchard, the lieutenant signals to move forward and Bartle concludes that he is only following orders because Murph,...
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...in the middle whose head has been cut off and placed on his chest. The lieutenant curses and explains that this is a body bomb.
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